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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29724525">Nightmare Waking</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/RayCatz/pseuds/RayCatz'>RayCatz</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Legend of Zelda &amp; Related Fandoms</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Four: too many thoughts brain goes brr, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Nightmares, Panic Attacks, gonna add tags as we go, kinda so I'll tag it just in case</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 19:22:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,323</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29724525</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/RayCatz/pseuds/RayCatz</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The sounds of the night assure that everything is as it should be. There will be no perils from the woods. No monsters or magic gates or threats. The only anguish that could possibly stir the group on nights like tonight is that which comes from within.</p><p>A series of drabbles on how each lad deals with nightmares.<br/>(Just Four and Wind right now.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Four &amp; Twilight (Linked Universe), Legend &amp; Wind (Linked Universe)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>68</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Four</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There is no whimper or shout or thrown blankets. Four falls into wakefulness all at once like a pebble hitting water at the bottom of a well. He is falling and then his eyes snap open. Four sits up abruptly. His left hand darts to clutch the Four Sword at his side and the other comes to bunch the fabric of his undershirt. He stares into the embers of the campfire and takes deep breaths. Deep breaths, slow and steady, but his heart pounds like a drum. The fire causes the shadow over his form to flicker. In the light his eyes whirl an ever shifting kaleidoscope of red, green, blue, purple. His thoughts spin. They rush in and out too fast to comprehend too fast to hold on to. There are so many thoughts. So many thoughts that come crashing together with his immediate wakefulness that they blur into static. There’s so much. And then there’s too much. And then there is nothing. He is everything and and he is nothing and his heart pounds loud and hollow in that emptiness.</p><p>Four slowly curls his knees up to his chest and wraps his arms around them for comfort. He rubs his eyes and keeps taking those slow and silent breaths. To an outsider the hero would appear calm, as though maybe he woke up too early and just needs to stretch. They’d have no idea how dangerously close the small hero is to shattering. How the small hero would slip into the shadows, if he could, if that would turn the buzzing emptiness into a cohesive quiet once more. But at the moment the hero can afford to do neither. Especially not, Four decides, over a nightmare.</p><p>He needs someone on the outside to help tether him. His whirling eyes flick over the camp. The sailor is sound asleep, sprawled across his bedroll with one arm draped absently above his head and one leg poking out from under his blanket. A thought comes through clear enough to hold and Four smiles fondly at the absurdity of Wind’s sleeping position. Four can feel his heartbeat slow down a little and he sighs in relief. This is a start. He’s not about to risk waking Wind though - the sailor looks too silly and peaceful.</p><p>Twilight at the moment is awake for his watch. He’s standing at the edge of the camp, his back to the rest of the group.</p><p>Four’s gaze whirls over and sets on the other hero. He manages a hushed whisper.</p><p>“Twilight.”</p><p>Twilight looks over his shoulder and mouths, “Hey.” with a little wave. Careful so as to disturb the night, Twilight picks his way around Time’s gear and over Legend and Hyrule’s discarded boots, to Four’s bedroll. He crouches, ready to offer a warm greeting, but there is something about Four that makes him stay quiet. Four’s eyes are a little too wide. Twi’s never been able to decide on what color they are. Sometimes they’re the green of new leaves and other times they’re the vibrant blues, purples, and reds of wildflowers. Sometimes they are simply gray. He’s accepted that Four’s eyes just vary in the light like that, but he’s never seen them shifting wildly through colors as they are now. He doesn’t need to be a wolf to hear the pounding of Four’s heart. The smith is usually so steady and to see him upset like this is concerning. Twi gives Four his undivided attention.</p><p>Four holds tightly to the blanket tucked over his knees. He starts, quietly, but with conviction, “Twilight, can I hold Wolfie? I’ll take your watch, I just need- ah-”</p><p>Whatever Four had to say is cut short by a faceful of thick and warm fur. Twi had shifted immediately - no questions asked. The huge wolf leans all of his weight onto Four’s chest causing the small hero to fall back onto his pillow with a disgruntled “oof.”</p><p>“Twi- Twi I can’t keep watch with you on me like this.”</p><p>Four tries in vain to heave Wolfie off but he’s buried and up to his elbows in coarse and unbelievably soft fur. Wolfie just huffs, settles himself more comfortably across Four’s stomach, and thumps his tail contentedly.</p><p>Despite being miffed at having his offer to take watch so thoroughly declined, Four accepts his fate, and goes limp. This is exactly what he needed, after all.</p><p>Four closes his eyes and turns his attention inward. His heart still beats painfully in his chest, but it no longer threatens to drown him, it’s interrupted: a tail thumps his calf at a slower tempo. His thoughts slow to focus on matching the introduced rhythms. Deep breaths, in time with Wolfie’s. This time not silent, but relaxed, open. An inhale. A sigh. And then quiet. The edges of his mind still ache from the static nothingness, but at least now he can choose to think of nothing instead of that nothingness being forced upon him.</p><p>He lets the thoughts of the nightmare trickle back in. Slowly. Holds them carefully and resolves what he can. Reconciles the rest.</p><p>Wolfie huffs again now that Four’s heart rate has slowed and peers back at him with his gray-blue eyes.</p><p>Four chuckles, “I know what you’re trying to do but I’m not going to tell you.” He absently combs his fingers through Wolfie’s coat. “It was only a nightmare. I don’t really want to talk about it.” He’s thought about it enough for one night.</p><p>After a pause he whispers. “Thank you.”</p><p>Four laughs, breathy and soft, rubs away the tears welling in his eyes, scrunches his fingers in Wolfie’s coat once more, and then inhales deeply in rhythm with his friend. His eyes return to a calm gray. Four yawns and, in time, his mind sinks back into the gentle lull of sleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I had this idea for a short comic yesterday. Four startles and Wolfie comes over and smothers him. I drew a little bit and then decided to write instead.</p><p>Sooo I do have a drawing of Four to go with this (the first paragraph.) It'll make its way onto tumblr eventually and I'll put a link here when it's up.<br/>I shared it on the LU discord in fanworks 1, so if you're reading today(2/26/2021) you can probably still catch it before it's buried.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Wind</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first thing Wind does is kick off his blankets. Then he sits up and bunches them into his lap and hugs them. They still smell faintly of the sea. Of Tetra, from the nights they spent shoulder to shoulder whispering through their watch. Of his home on Outset, tinged with salt and the herbs Granma favors for their meals.</p><p>He buries his face in the blankets and clings to the memories, willing them to ward off the nightmares—and it works—but it’s a curse, also. Tears well in his eyes and homesickness pulls at his heart. Homesickness is the worst. He knows this. With something like the flu you can just separate from the crew for a while and eat soup, <em> what he wouldn’t give for some soup right now, </em>and it’ll go away. But homesickness spreads like nothing else and holds like a vice. And here he is wallowing in it. He takes a deep breath to steady himself, rubs away the tears, and looks around camp.</p><p>The campfire flickers, illuminating Legend who’s on watch. He has a small needle in hand. It glints in the firelight as it weaves in and out of the tunic he’s mending. In out, in out, without a sound. Warriors and Sky are set up on either side of Wind’s bedroll, both soundly asleep. Warriors snores, although he <em> swears </em>otherwise, and Wind smiles a little at it. Wars is a good go-to for nightmares. He’s a little grouchy when woken up but he’s always been concerned and supportive when he hears it’s about a nightmare. But Wars asks questions and tries to problem solve, and Wind doesn’t feel like working through anything tonight. Sky on the other hand gives the world’s best hugs. But he falls asleep too easily, and Wind doesn’t want to be alone.</p><p>His gaze lingers on Four at the other side of camp. They have a kind of silent agreement when it comes to nightmares, and Wind has often woken up finding that Four has moved his bedroll next to his in the middle of the night. Four doesn’t ask questions when Wind joins him and lets him hold his hand. He sleeps lightly so he’s easy enough to wake up and seems to always know when Wind needs a pat on the shoulder.</p><p>Wind makes to stand but then Four shifts and throws an arm over his eyes. If Four’s having a hard time sleeping already he doesn’t want to make it worse.</p><p>He could go to Twilight. Twilight listens, really listens, and would watch him as he fell asleep. But guilt holds Wind back. He’s gone to Twilight for homesickness before, and he saw the far-off look that came over him when he thought he was asleep. Twi can handle himself, he knows this, but the guilt of bringing homesickness to him keeps him from seeking him out again. <em> That, and a part of him can’t bear seeing Twilight vulnerable. He can’t bear being the cause of that. </em></p><p>He can’t bring himself to wake Time for that reason. Waking Wild only gets you a smack to the face, waking Hyrule would probably just make him anxious. <em> He wouldn’t really want to go to the last two anyways. </em> They wouldn't judge him, but he doesn’t want them to see him in the sway of a nightmare and homesickness. He doesn’t want them to see him like this. Doesn’t want to scare anyone or allow the homesickness to spread. <em> He looks out for the rest of the heros, after all, like he does Aryll. </em></p><p>Wind clutches his blankets, uncertainty and loneliness turning somersaults in his gut, and accidentally makes eye contact with Legend. The needle stops glinting. Legend narrows his eyes at him, gives a very obvious sigh, and then beckons him over.</p><p> </p><p>Wind had been distressed for maybe three minutes, now. Tossing and turning in his sleep, his bedhead casting curled shadows in the dim firelight. The rest of the camp sleeps fitfully through the boy's nightmare. Except for Legend who is on watch, a thin needle in hand, mending a tear in his red tunic. Legend watches Wind for a moment as the sailor battles whatever monsters lurk in his dreams. A few stitches. Another glance. Wind convulses, throws off all of his blankets, and sits up. After a moment, the boy gathers back his blankets, pulls his knees to his chest, and stares into the embers of the campfire. Legend invests himself in his needlework. Wind draws his blankets around himself and gets to his feet, his eyes darting around the camp, seeking comfort, a warm hand or body to burn away the lingering fear trapped behind wide eyes. The blankets are crumpled and their edges are pulled taught under the sailor's fingers. The boy's wide blue eyes dart to Legend, sitting awake atop his own bedroll. Better to let the others sleep, right? Legend beckons the sailor over. Wind looks confused a moment but he quickly crosses camp and sets his blankets down next to the veteran’s. There is a bit of shuffling as Wind settles himself, bringing his knees up to his chest once more and resting his chin atop them. He steals a skeptical glance at Legend, lips tight, fingers still pulling at fabric. Legend sighs and acknowledges Wind's gaze between careful stitches.</p><p>"Bad dream?"</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>The fire crackles. A log snaps and hits the soil with a dull thud, sending up sparks.</p><p>"Did you beat it?"</p><p>Wind considers the low flames of the campfire. He presses his palms into his eyes, up over his temples, and into his hair.</p><p>"No." He admits, short and pained. "It got me. I failed and everyone's drowned and it's all-"</p><p>Legend pierces the fabric a breath too far to the left and abruptly pulls his hand away with a hiss.</p><p>Wind blinks at him owlishly and murmurs, "Sorry. Do you <em> want </em>to hear about my dream?"</p><p>Legend shakes out his hand and glares at the needle and tries the stitch again. "Nope."</p><p>"Oh..." Wind lowers his head. Mutters daggers at the fire. "You could have woken me up when you saw I was having a bad dream. Wild woulda."</p><p>"Well, I'm not Wild and Twilight doesn't need you waking him up. We had a long day. Thought I'd spare him your sorry company and let em sleep."</p><p>"Gee thanks."</p><p>"You're welcome."</p><p>Legend ties off his work and runs his thumb over the seam. "I didn't wake you," he holds the tunic up and pulls on it to make sure the stitches hold, "because I thought you'd want the chance to get through it yourself. Maybe you could have turned the tide."</p><p>Wind chortles, "did you just make an ocean pun?"</p><p>"Nope. I don't know what you're talking about. But, maybe it would have been a good dream if you'd gotten through it."</p><p>"I didn't."</p><p>"That's okay. Nightmares can be erratic and confusing. You're not always going to win."</p><p>"I don't want to <em> win </em>.” Wind is quiet for a moment and then whispers. “I don't even want to dream if it's gonna be bad.” Legend stiffens and Wind goes on. “Not very courageous of me, huh."</p><p> </p><p>He hadn’t meant to open up to Legend like this but at this point he can’t stop the words from spilling out.</p><p>“And I miss Aryll, and Tetra, and I miss my granma.”</p><p>Legend doesn’t ask any more questions and he doesn’t offer solutions and he doesn’t tell him to grow up.</p><p>He just says, “I know.” Sad and knowing. And for some reason, coming from Legend, these words aren't upsetting. Legend isn’t about to be strong for him. He doesn’t hide the emotions dancing in his eyes like Twilight had. It’s reassuring, knowing that Legend understands and is going to be okay, and has been okay.</p><p> </p><p>Wind leans into Legend's shoulder, heavy with tiredness. Legend makes a disgusted sound but wraps an arm around the younger hero anyways. Wind relaxes and stifles a yawn.</p><p>"Want me to wake you up next time?"</p><p>"Yes, please."</p><p>"Okay."</p>
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